English actor Bernard Hill, known for ‘Titanic’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’, dies at 79

He led the people into battle in Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and went down with the ship as the doomed cruiseliner’s captain in Titanic.

English actor Bernard Hill, known for his memorable scenes in the two blockbuster films, has died at age 79, his agent Lou Coulson announced on Sunday (5 May).

Hill joined the Lord of the Rings franchise in the second film of the trilogy, 2002’s “The Two Towers”. He played Théoden, King of Rohan, reprising the role in Return of the King, a film that won 11 Academy Awards.

One of the film’s most memorable scenes features Hill’s character getting his outmatched crew fired up for a battle they would likely lose. His rousing battle cry on horseback sends his troops thundering downhill toward the enemy and his own imminent death.

“Arise, arise, riders of Théoden!” Hill shouts. “Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day, a red day, ere the sun risses! Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the world’s ending! Death! Death! Death!

In Titanic, Hill played Captain Edward Smith, one of the only characters based on a real person in the 1997 tragic romance starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The film also won 11 Oscars.

As the damaged ship takes on water, Hill’s character silently retreats to the wheelhouse. With the cabin groaning under punishing waves, he takes his final breath, grabbing the wheel as water smashes the windows and floods the room.

Before becoming a well-known face in Hollywood, Hill made a name for himself in the 1982 British TV miniseries “Boys from the Blackstuff” about five unemployed men.

The role earned him a nomination at the 1983 British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards, and the show won the BAFTA for best drama series that year.

His death on Sunday coincided with the premiere of the second series of the BBC drama “The Responder”, in which Hill played the father of the show’s star, Martin Freeman.

“Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his long-lasting career filled with iconic and remarkable roles is a testament to his incredible talent,” said Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama. “Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.”